Heinz Gewing
Oct. 10, 1932-Jan. 21, 2024
Dublin, California

Heinz Gewing passed away at the age of 91 in Dublin, California on January 21, 2024. Born on October 10, 1932 in Leoben, Austria, he spent his childhood in Shanghai, China, one of the only countries in the world that would accept Jewish refugees. Heinz and his family lived in a small apartment above his father's store, in an area known as the Shanghai Ghetto. It was not an easy life, but hard work, resilience and a sense of humor helped sustain them.

After arriving in San Francisco in 1948, Heinz attended Lowell High School, graduated from UC Berkeley, and received his master's degree in educational counseling from Penn State. He and his late wife Lisa Gewing were married for over 50 happy years, raising their two daughters in Oakland, before moving up the California coast.

Heinz started out as a teacher at Oakland High School. He later worked at the Job Corps, a program created during the Lyndon Johnson Administration as part of the War on Poverty. He went on to become the last Superintendent of the Murray School District and the first Superintendent of the newly created Dublin Unified School District.

It was in Dublin that Heinz first met PTA president and parent volunteer Eileen Barr. A friendship developed that years later, after Lisa's death, turned into something much more. The couple spent 17 wonderful years together, sharing a passion for politics and social activism. When they weren't out protesting, they were traveling the world or welcoming a constant stream of visitors into their home.

Heinz was a kind man, known for his generosity, wit, and common sense. A close friend once described him as the only person he knew who could turn a mountain into a molehill. How lucky we all were to have had him in our lives and how we will miss him.

Heinz is survived by his cherished partner Eileen Barr, daughters Jenny Andrus (Alex) and Dina Gewing (Tim); granddaughter Sasha Andrus and grandson Nick Andrus (Ashley); older brother Walter and twin brother Ehud, as well as his beloved nieces and nephews.

Special thanks to Hope Hospice and to Maribel Macias, who provided such loving care to Heinz. Services will be held privately by his family. In lieu of flowers, they suggest contributions to Hope Hospice (hopehospice.com) or to HIAS (https://hias.org), an organization that assisted Heinz's family over 70 years ago and continues to support refugees around the world today.